Love one another as Jesus has loved us.

Written in 1955, Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard is an allegory— parable. A timeless truth that is as relevant today as when it was written.

Hinds Feet on High Places is the story of Much-Afraid and her spiritual transformation. On her journey to becoming Grace and Glory, Much-Afraid learned the following valuable lesson.

There are no obstacles that our Savior’s love cannot overcome. The High Places of victory and union with Christ can be reached. By learning to accept day by day the actual conditions and tests permitted by God. By laying down of our own will and accepting His. The lessons of accepting and triumphing over evil, of becoming acquainted with grief and pain, and of finding them transformed into something incomparably precious.

To the rational mind this sounds like rubbish. As a recipient of the Lord’s magnificent love and grace, I know otherwise. Childhood abuse. Betrayal. Foolish personal decisions. All nullified by the Lord’s love and grace.

Grace’s grandeur surrounds us. Enveloping all in its love and strength. Even prodigals who choose to remain in the wasteland. Refusing God’s gift of salvation.

Today I am so thankful I am no longer in the wasteland. Instead, being immersed in God’s love. Experiencing God’s salvation on a daily basis.

My journey like Much-Afraid took longer than anticipated. It was not painless. There were times I questioned my ability to continue. Through it all I too learned a valuable lesson.

As a disciple of Christ there will be times of

suffering.

pain.

uncertainty.

hopelessness.

Beloved, do not be deceived. Embracing God’s Truth will not be painless because it rips at the membrane of your identity. Forcing you to admit that nothing good dwells within me that is in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. I have the intention and urge to do what is right but no power to carry it out.

I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am ever doing. Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it. It is not myself that acts, but the sin principle, which dwells within me. Romans 7:18-20

Yes, you alone are powerless to control this propensity to sin. Embrace God’s truth that declares as far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin’s influence?

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? When we were baptized into His death. We were placed into the tomb with Him. As Christ was brought back from death to life by the glorious power of the Father, so we too should live a new kind of life.

If we’ve become united with Him in a death like His. Certainly we will also be united with Him when we come back to life as He did. We know that the person we used to be was crucified with Him to put an end to sin in our bodies. Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin. The person who has died has been freed from sin.

If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ who was brought back to life will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. When He died. He died once and for all to sin’s power, but now He lives, and He lives for God.

So consider yourselves dead to sin’s power but living for God in the power Christ Jesus gives you. Therefore, never let sin rule your physical body so that you obey its desires. Never offer any part of your body to sin’spower. No part of your body should ever be used to do any ungodly thing.

Instead offer yourselves to God as people who have come back from death and are now alive. Offer all the parts of your body to God. Use them to do everything that God approves of. Certainly sin shouldn’t have power over you because you’re not controlled by laws but byGod’s favor. Romans 6:2-14

Only God’s Word can destroy ungodly paradigms. Replacing them with righteous desires, goals, and priorities. While these godly paradigms are being anchored into your soul and spirit. You must be vigilant. You are at war with an enemy who understands a repentant heart is impervious to his lies.

So be subject to God. Resist the devil. Stand firm against him, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and He will come close to you.

Recognize that you are sinners. Get your soiled hands clean. Realize that you have been disloyal. Wavering individuals with divided interests. Purify your hearts of your spiritual adultery.

As you draw near to God be deeply penitent and grieve. Even weep over your disloyalty. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame for your sins.

Humble yourselves. Feeling very insignificant in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. Hewill lift you up and make your lives significant. James 4:7-10

Thanks to the Lord’s gift of salvation. I will overcome the evil plans of satan and his human cohorts. Because the Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery and my invincible army.

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk. Not to stand still in terror but to walk and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering or responsibility! Habakkuk 3:19